WOG LOUT KAR NA AAYA

WOH LOUT KAR NA AAYA SHORT STORY

Woh Laut Kar Na Aaya

Doobte hue suraj ki sunehri roshni nadi ki lehron par bikhar rahi thi. Shaam apne aakhri rang samet rahi thi. Kinare par khada ek ladka baar-baar ek chhota sa patthar paani me uchhalta, jaise har lehar ke saath apna intezar bhi door bhej raha ho. Thak kar woh chupchaap baith gaya. Tabhi kisi ne peeche se aakar uski aankhon par apni hatheliyan rakh di ,Ladke ne badi narami se kaha, "Ayaat saamne to aao."
Ayaat ne halka sa muh banaya aur uske saamne aakar khadi ho gayi.
"Tum hamesha pehchaan lete ho " usne shikayati lehje me kaha.
Saif ne muskurate hue uski taraf dekha aur bola,
"Puri duniya me agar kisi ke haath churail jaise ho sakte hain, to woh sirf tumhare hi hain. Isliye pehchaan leta hoon."
"Saif!" Ayaat ne narazgi dikhate hue aur phir muh phula uski bagal main baith gayi
Saif zor se hans pada.
"Achha baba mazaak kar raha tha. Waise bhi, tumhare haath pehchanna mere liye saans lene jitna aasaan hai." Dono khamoshi se doobte hue suraj ko dekhne lage. Sunehri kirnein uski aankhon ko chhoo rahi thi. Tapish abhi poori tarah kam nahi hui thi, isliye woh baar-baar palken jhuka leti. Har baar jab woh aankhen band karti,

"Saif tumhe aankhon par yeh dhoop nahi chubhti?" Ayaat ne suraj se nazrein hata kar uski taraf dekhte hue pucha.

Saif ki nazrein ab bhi doobte hue suraj par tiki hui thi. Woh halki si muskuraya.

"Aadat ho gayi hai Roz isi waqt yahan aakar tumhara intezar karta hoon. Is dhoop ko dekhte-dekhte ab iski tapish bhi apni si lagne lagi hai."

Ayaat bina kuch kaha woh dheere se uske kareeb sarak aayi aur apna sar Saif ke kandhe par rakh diya.

Kuch pal dono ke beech sirf khamoshi thi. Sirf nadi ki lehron ki halki si awaaz aur hawa ka ehsaas.

Phir Saif ne dheemi awaaz me kaha,

"Ayaat mujhe lagta hai ab humein apne ghar walon ko sab kuch bata dena chahiye."

Ayaat ne fauran uski taraf dekha.

"Sach?"

Saif ne muskurakar haan me sar hila diya.

"Maine aaj Ammi se baat kar li. Unhone kaha hai ke woh tumhare ghar walon se milna chahte hain."

Ayaat ki aankhen khushi se chamak uthi. Woh bachchon ki tarah khushi se uchhal padi.

"Sach, Saif? Unhone waqai aisa kaha?"

"Haan." Saif muskuraya, "Ab tumhari baari hai. Agar tum bhi apne Ammi Abbu se baat kar lo, to main apne ghar walon ko rishta lekar bhej dunga."

Ayaat ki aankhon me aansu aur muskurahat ek saath utar aaye.

"Saif aaj tumne mujhe meri zindagi ki sabse badi khushi di hai."

"Ab iske baad humein alag karne ka darr bhi nahi raha. Ab taqdeer bhi humein juda nahi kar sakti." Ayaat ne muskurate hue kaha.

Saif kuch der tak khamosh raha. Uski aankhen nadi ki lehron par tiki thi, jaise woh kisi gehri soch me dooba ho.

"Kya hua, Saif?" Ayaat ne dheemi awaaz me pucha.

Saif ne ek gehri saans li.

"Ek aur baat hai, Ayaat... meri naukri lag gayi hai."

Ayaat ki aankhen khushi se chamak uthi.

"Sach? Aaj to tum mujhe ek ke baad ek khushkhabri de rahe ho! Lekin phir itne udaas kyun ho?"

"Kahan lagi hai naukri?"

Saif ne uski taraf dekha aur dheere se bola,

"Fauj me."

Yeh do lafz sunte hi Ayaat ke chehre ki muskurahat dheere-dheere feeki pad gayi.